Samuel j



(No Model.)

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\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\x\\\\\\ xv WITNESSESI 45 inside of the've'ssel. The a'nges E E are UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

SAMUEL J. ANTHONY AND EDWARD J. ,Enosn OE PHILADELPHIA, PA.

APPARATUS Foa lPRODuoINcs vH LU'MrNATINe `cAs on VAPOR.

sPEc'IFIcA'rIoNformmg part of Letters Patent No. 238,020, dated Fbrualy a2., 1881.

Application filed May 15, 1880. (No model.) .J

county of Philadelphia, and State of Penn-` sylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Illuminating Gas or Vapor, commonly known (as Carbureters/7 whereof the following is a specification, reference beingl had to the accompanying drawings.

Of these, Figure 1 represents avertical section through lthe center of the apparatus, and Fig.' 2 is a horizontal section on the line w :c of Fig. 1.

Our invention relates to that class of `socalled carbureters in which a current of air is forced over surfaces saturated with a volatile hydrocarbon, and the inflammable vapor thus obtained is conducted through pipes to the zo burners.

` The improvements consist in constructing I the evaporator of .wood veneering disposed in closely-approximatin g and uniform surfaces, with regular air-passages throughout.

They further consist in so constructing the evaporator as to prevent direct contact ofthe air-current with the body of liquid in the evaporating-tank, and only permitting contact be tween the air-current and such uidas has passed through thev capillary material and has exuded upon its surface, thus forming a dry carbureter.

They further consistin a device by which both ends or edges of the capillary material are kept immersed in the fluid, whose level is maintained by an automatically-regulated feed.

In. the drawings, A, Fig. `1, represents the' reservoir or tank of fluid, preferably the hydrocarbon known as gasoline, the supplypipe being indicated at C. Below this tank is placed the evaporating-vessel D, preferably a cylindrical tank of metal, into which the ilanges E E' tit tightly, so as` to form close joints with the sides of the vessel. T he lower iiange rests upon an annular shelf upon the turned true upon their upper and lower surfaces, respectively, and are each provided with annular ribs n n' the interior surfaces of which are also turned true.` y Resting upon the lower ange,E, and tittin g tightly between the ribs n n' of both flanges,

is placed the evaporator G. This is constructed of a continuous sheet of vthin veneering of gum, poplar, or other porous wood, coiled spirally in such a manner as to leave a regular and continuous air-passage from the inner to .the outer end of tbe spiral, contact'between the coils being prevented by the interposition of strips H H of wood veneerin g at each edge. The sheet G- bein g tightly wound by machinery and the strips H H being interposed during the process of winding, aclose jointisformed at each edge. Y The core of the coil consists of the cylinder L, having annularly-ribbed disks o o at each extremity. The outer surfaces of the ribs and the faces of the disks are turned true, so as to allow the formation of a close joint with the evaporator G.

The-cylindrical vessel L `between the disks is provided throughout with small openings for the equal distribution of the air-current, which is supplied from the -pipe M, the aircurrent being produced by any of the wellknown devices in use for that purpose. The lower disk, o, Iof the vessel is supported by feet 1' r. An 'open space is left within the evaporating-tankabove and below the evaporator G, and communication is maintained between these open spaces throughthe tubular bolts F E connecting the ilanges E E.

A feed-pipe, B, provided with a cock, b, connects the reservoir A with the evaporatingtank.

A pipe, O, having acap, S, with minute perforations serving as a vent, is placed near they top of the evaporating-tank, as shown.

, The spiral air-passage of the evaporator G leads from the interior of the open space K, surrounding the perforated` cylinder L, into the freeannular space J, inclosed laterally between the evaporator G: and the sides of the evaporating-tank, and at top and bottom by the aunular tlanges'E E. From the annular space J an exit-pipe, N, leads to the burners.

Theoperation of our apparatus is as follows: The oil-tank A being filled with gasoline or other similar Huid, the latter Hows through the feedpipe B, filling the open space P at the bottom of the tank, and, rising through the tubular bolts F F, lls the upper space, Q, to the level of the vent-pipe. A By this arrangement au automatic feed is obtained and the fluid in the evaporating-tank is maintained at a con- IOO stant level. As the flanges E E' makea close joint with the walls of the tank, and as both the flanges E E' and the disks o o make a close joint with the edges of the evaporator G, the fluid is prevented from entering the annular space J and the lcentral air-space, K, but is permitted to reach the'evaporating-surface of the coil C by penetrating the exposed edges thereof and permeatin g the capillary material of which it is composed.. The air-current, entering through the pipe M and distributer L, circulates freely through the passages of the coil C, and, taking up in the form of vapor the liquid supplied to the surface of the latter through the pores of' the material, passes out through the exit-pipe N. We thus obtain adry carbureter, since the air-current can only comein contact with the fluid which is exposed upon the evaporating-surface, and the danger of freezing or of driving the liquid in the exit-pipes is obviated.

It is obvious that various modifications mayl be made in the disposition of the continuous sheet ofcapillary'material-as, f'or instance, instead of being wound in a spiral coil, it might be folded in closely-approximating zigzags, or wrapped around a prismatic core insteadof a cylindrical one. While, therefore, we prefer the latter as the most convenient and compact of the different arrangements, we do not desire to limit our claim to the spiral form embodied in the drawings, provided a practically continuous sheet of capillary material be so disposed as to leave a practically uniform and continuous air-passage between closely-approximating surfaces.

It is obvious that the end strips, H H, may be made of metal or other pliable material instead of the wood veneer-in g, and we 'therefore do not desire to limit our claim to the method shown for preventing contact between the closely-approximating. coils and isolating the air-current from direct contact with the body of the liquid. Nor is it essential that both edges of the capillary material should be immersed in the liquid, though we deem that method best adapted for thorough saturation ofthe air-current. We therefore do not limit ourselves to the precise form of the evaporatin g-tank and the arrangement of the evaporating-coil therein shown in the drawings.

Vve are aware that itis not new to construct evaporators of closely-approximated sheets of canton-flannel or similar limp material, stretched by fastening them at both ends or attached to a supporting surface of sheet metal. Our method of construction differs from this in that the wood veneerin g which we use has sufficient rigidity to require no stretching or backin g, but will supportits own weight, thereby avoiding the necessity of supporting it by fasteningswhich occupy room Wit-hout affording any increase of evaporating-surface, and we are thus enabled to obtain a verylarge surface of capillary material in a most compact form, permeable throughout by the liquid.

In our evaporator the arrangement of the veneering in closely-approximating and uniform sheets or'folds, with regular and uniform in-passages throughout, compels the contact of the current with every portion of the evaporating-surface, and thus not only disposes the latter in a compact form, but also occasionsa uniform and thorough saturation of the air.

Itis also obvious that to obtain the second feature of our improvements-namely, a dry carbureter having an is'olated air-passage-it is not absolutely essential that the -capillary material used should vbewoodveneering, although we deem that best adapted for the purpose, and* it may therefore be constructed of sheets, of any pliable capillary material, having the\edges of the air-passage closed from direct contact with the liquid by strips. either of capillary or non-capillary material.

We are aware that -it is not new to construct carbureters of a scroll coil of fibrous absorbent IOO is fed by isolating the airlpassages, and thus l obtain afdry carbureter, while in the other spiral evaporators referred to the liquid was freely admitted into the spiral air-passage, and was liable to be blown into the pipes or con gealed by the cold produced from too rapid evaporation. Y

We are also aware that it isl notnew to sup ply the liquid to the evaporating-sheets by means of' siphons or lamp-wicks attached to IIO the top of each sheet and communicating with an adjacent oilreservoir,while at the same time the bottom of thesheets was immersed in liquid. We do not desire to claim this method of construction, since in our improved evaporator we immerse both the upper and lower edges of the sheet directly in the liquid and at the same time maintain the air-passage in complete isolation therefrom.

In an apparatus for producingilluminatinggas by the volatilization of a liquid, an evaporator consisting of' a sheet or sheets of wood veneerin g uniformly disposed in ,closely-approximating surfaces. 2. In an apparatus for producing illuminat- -r ing-,igasby the volatilization of a liquid, an

evaporator constructed of closely-approximat-y ing coils of capillary -material having the spaces between their edgesfclosed by strips,in combination with an ez'zterior reservoir for the liquid, whereby the outer edges alone of the cvaporating-coils are immersed in the liquid and an isolated air-passage is formed between the coils. 1

3. The combination of the pipes F with the flanges E E', tting closely to the sides of the tank D, the disks o o, and the intermediate closed evaporator,whereby communicating reservoirs are provided for the immersion of the edges of the capillary material.

4. The combination of the tank A, the communicating 'reservoirs P and Q, and the ventpipe O, wherebyl the level of the liquid is auomlttically maintained` in the evaporating- ,sAMUEL J. ANTHONY. Y EDWARD J. FROST.

' Witnesses: WM. H. MYERS,

dorm MYERS. 

